EFSA Has Set Dietary Reference Values For Vitamin K

- Jan 31, 2018 -

EFSA has set dietary reference values for vitamin K as part of its review of scientific advice on nutrient intakes.

The Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies (NDA) decided to maintain the dietary reference values established by the Scientific Committee for Food in 1993. Consequently, the NDA Panel defined daily adequate intakes (AIs) for vitamin K as follows:

u10 μg for infants aged 7-11 months.

u12 μg for children aged 1-3 years.

u20 μg for children aged 4-6.

u30 μg for children aged 7-10.

u45 μg for children aged 11-14.

u65 μg for adolescents aged 15-17 and

u70 μg for adults including for pregnant and lactating women.

Vitamin K is a fat-soluble vitamin that plays an important role in blood coagulation and bone mineralisation. It naturally occurs in food as phylloquinone (vitamin K1) and menaquinones (vitamin K2). Low vitamin K intake is associated with a tendency to bleeding due to a low activity of blood coagulation factors. Food sources of vitamin K include dark green leafy vegetables such as spinach, lettuce, kale and Brussels sprouts.